Cochrane to step down as chairman of AFL’s Suns
Shayne Hope and Murray Wenzel |
Outspoken figurehead Tony Cochrane will leave his AFL post in the belief Gold Coast no longer needs sticking up for.
The Suns chairman announced on Wednesday he will depart next month after nine years on the board and seven in charge of a club that was regularly the butt of jokes.
He remained a passionate advocate for the Suns’ importance to the competition in the face of huge external criticism, in particular over the millions of dollars in AFL handouts that kept the club afloat.
But, tipping a debut finals appearance in 2023, teasing more “blue chip” sponsorship deals to come and trumpeting overall financial stability, Cochrane believes the time is right to step aside.
“When I came here the main media story was, ‘How long will the Suns last? They’ll be gone soon, this is ridiculous, a waste of money’,” he said.
“I had to be a really strong voice to counter that.
“We’re so stable (now) … I don’t think we need someone to stand up for us anymore.”
Cochrane took over from John Witheriff in early 2016, oversaw the move from demountable buildings to a $22 million training and administration centre a year later and signed off on coach Stuart Dew after Rodney Eade’s axing.
His barbs thrown Brisbane’s way helped build a rivalry, while he has remained a critic of Tasmania becoming the AFL’s 19th team.
He has been described as ‘the Donald Trump of the AFL’.
“I don’t think I’ve got much in common with the Donald; the hair perhaps and I’m not quite as orange,” he laughed.
“But I just made it clear; if you want to have a crack at us, you’d better have your facts right because I’ll crack straight back.”
Cochrane will be succeeded by businessman and long-time Suns board member Bob East.
“He’ll be a different chairman to me, but doesn’t need to be a Tony Cochrane in any case,” the outgoing figurehead said.
Cochrane said it was “enormously tempting” to stay on given his expectation of imminent success for the Suns.
“But football clubs are a continuous life, they don’t have stop-start moments,” he said.
“That’s kind of like hanging around for ego, because you feel like you deserve to be there in a great moment of triumph.
“For me, the great moments of triumph around this place have come while building it.”
Cochrane’s final game at the helm will be against Sydney at Metricon Stadium on March 18.
AAP
